Surviving Education Online

In the June 14, 2006 issue of the Educator’s Voice from eCollege, Karen Southall Watts discusses ways to encourage student success and support them without face-to-face interactions. Her advice includes setting the stage early with ground rules and fair expectations, and she identifies key steps to help students get the most out of an online class...

Time matters: Encourage students from the beginning to set up a schedule: a day to download lessons, time for research and writing, and a time to check into the class and respond to discussions.

Everything is not in the text: Students should plan a budget for extra books. In the absence of face-to-face time with the instructor, books that provide examples and practice problems prove to be very helpful, especially in topics such as accounting, finance, and statistics.

Create and test feedback systems: Make sure students understand how to use all of the feedback mechanisms available, including e-mail, posting open questions and phone appointments, and consider testing them in the first week with some routine announcements that require student confirmation. Make your expectations clear and post them in an area that students can refer to at any time.

The importance of backups: Getting your technology in order really smoothes out the experience of working online. Students should consider a high-speed Internet connection. They should have an emergency plan for times when their primary computer is down or the power goes out in their local area. They should back up all original work on a regular basis.

Networking is a vital skill: Students will want and need moral support throughout the process. Your online students will share research ideas and coping tips. You can encourage this process by having a free forum or discussion area within the course "room" just for this purpose.

Savor the differences: Focus on how the differences in approach are adding value.

The author concludes by saying, “You can aid in their success by using these steps to create a success-prone cyber class.”

Read the Educator’s Voice article, "Surviving education online: Key steps for student success."

Contributed by Chip Donohue

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